Remembering my adventures
Hi, my name is Irene Cabay. I was born and raised in the small farming community of Ardmore in north-east Alberta, Canada. I grew up on a farm and certainly did not see a lot of the world other than the neighbouring town that sold farm equipment. I have 3 great kids who all have... Continue Reading →
MARCH 19, 2026 Our entire time in Vietnam was a tale of contradictions. I grew up with the propaganda that the North Vietnamese were terrible people. I came here and saw their side of the story. I suspect the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I met a man who served in Vietnam and quite... Continue Reading →
MARCH 10 - 19, 2026 One of the first things we noticed in Hanoi was how modern it is. There are blocks and blocks of skyscraper condominiums. Modern developments with shopping centres, schools and recreation facilities all within the development. The housing units are not cider-block ugly, they are modern and look amazing. The Old... Continue Reading →
MARCH 7 - 9, 2026 From Tam Coc we took a tour that took us to BAI DINH PAGODA, HOA LU ANCIENT CAPITAL, MUA CAVES, and a TRANG AN BOAT RIDE. BAI DINH PAGODA Although this pagoda looks old, it was actually built between 2003-2010. It covers 700 hectares (1230 acres). We only saw a... Continue Reading →
MARCH 5 - 10, 2026 We took a sleeper bus to TAM COC, in the province of NINH BINH. We each had our own little bed, complete with TV, charger capability, pillow and blanket. It was amazing!! We took a boat ride down the NGO DONG RIVER. There were hundreds of boats queued up, so... Continue Reading →
MARCH 3, 2026 i accidentally booked a private tour for the DMZ - Demilitarized Zone. It actually worked out better because we could stop when something caught our eye and we could ask lots of questions. We were picked up from the REX HOTEL. The first place we stopped was VINH MOC TUNNELS. These tunnels... Continue Reading →
MARCH 2, 2026 From Da Nang we went to DONG HOI. Our purpose in stopping in this area was to go to PHONG NHA CAVES and the DMZ (de-militarized zone). The train stopped in Dong Hoi and the tour was the same price whether we stayed in Phong Nha or not. Hotel prices were higher... Continue Reading →
FEBRUARY 28, 2026 We took a tour to HUE. It is a former Imperial Capital. The tour package included a ride on the HERITAGE TRAIN. It was a leisurely 3 hour train ride taking us through the HAI VIN PASS and along LANG CO BAY. We were lucky enough to be sitting on the right... Continue Reading →
FEBRUARY 27, 2026 BA NA HILLS is a nature preserve and resort complex located high in the mountains. It got its name from the numerous banana trees that once graced this area. At an elevation of 1487 m (5879 ft) above sea level, it has a cool year-round climate. The French developed this area as... Continue Reading →
FEBRUARY 26, 2026 Our day tour to Hoi An started with a brief stop at WATER MOUNTAIN, the largest of the five limestone peaks making up the MARBLE MOUNTAINS. It was very brief. Our guide pointed out the pagoda on Water Mountain then ushered us into the marble factory and gift shop. The traditional Buddhist sculptures were... Continue Reading →
FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 1, 2026 Da Nang turned into more of a base to explore nearby areas. The one main attraction in Da Nang was the DRAGON BRIDGE. It is the world’s largest dragon-shaped steel bridge. It is 666 m (2185 ft) long, 37.5 m (123 ft)wide and has six lanes for traffic. It opened to... Continue Reading →
An Old Lady with a Backpack 